STRQ: The power of a name
by Musicalmadness37
Summary: A name can be a powerful thing, it will follow you through life and affect what people think of you. Wow has to experience that for himself at Beacon.


On the outside, Qrow Branwen didn't seem to care what people thought of him or what his name was tied too.

He would hear the whispers about when his family had done, and how his sister and him were no good killers, But it still didn't seem to faze him. At least until he was behind closed doors. That was the only times Qrow really let how much those comments pissed him off.

It wasn't the comments about his parents, after all they were killers and thieves, and while the ones about Raven bugged him, he knew not to worry about those too much because Raven would deal with them appropriately. No the comments that really got to him were the ones that involved Tai and Summer.

When the occasional idiot whispered about how crazy Tai and Summer must be to sleep in the same room with killers. Or how they mustn't be much better then the murderous twins when they defend them. Those were the comments that really made Qrow's blood boil, the same comments that had lead to Qrow violently and viciously attacking a target dummy.

"Hey murderer!" a voice called from behind Qrow. Obviously not one of the smarter students at Beacon.

Qrow ignored the voice behind him at first, though that didn't mean he attacked the dummy any less.

The only problem is it's hard to ignore getting shoved from behind.

"I'm talking to you killer." The goon spoke as Qrow finally turned to face his attacker.

The guy wasn't much to look at, a bit shorter than Qrow, shaved head, a real thug type. Most likely joined Beacon to help work for some of the shader groups who hired huntsman for a lot of Lien.

"So how many people you killed huh? Ten? Twenty? Fifty?" Ahh yes the generic question Qrow heard at least once a day. Somehow these idiots didn't realise that you didn't join the main raid until you were eighteen. Kids and teens only help search. towns after the Grimm had left.

"At Beacon? You'd be the first." Qrow replied, still doing his vest to seem uninterested.

"Scum like you shouldn't be allowed in Beacon, you ruin its good name like the Faunus." The thug seemed to be checking all the boxes for the class bully. Arrogant? Check. Racist? Check.

"Trust me, we're doing way less damage to Beacons name then someone like you with an IQ smaller than his age." Qrow replied, getting a few snickers from other patrons in the gym.

"This all coming from someone who threatens their partner's life." That comment seemed to finally break through Qrow's facade.

"What was that?" Qrow growled, letting his anger finally show.

"Why else would anyone stay partnered with you? I mean the poor thing is stuck with someone who grew up with rapists and murderers." The thug smirked, he knew he was getting though and that's all he needed. "That's probably why she looks scared all the time, you've threatened to do horrible things to her haven't you?"

"I'm warning you pal, leave while you can." Qrow's voice was filled with anger with none of its usual snark, though the goon didn't seem to care.

"Then again she's suppose to be training as a huntress, if she can't deal with scum like you then maybe she deserv… urk." that set Qrow off as before the idiot could finish his sentence, Qrow lifted him off the ground by his throat.

"Keep talking about my partner and I'll show you just how murderous a Branwen can be." Qrow growled, tightening his grip on the idiots throat, as Claw extended into its scythe form.

"Qrow!" A voice called, drawing Qrow's attention away from the man in front of him and to the source of the call. He found Taiyang, ready to jump into the middle of the confrontation and looking slightly shocked at the scene in front of him.

This seemed to snap Qrow out of what he was doing as he dropped the goon, who fell to the floor gasping for breath, and stormed out of the training room.

* * *

Summer had spent the rest of the day looking for her partner, even skipping dinner and cookies to make sure he was ok.

All she knew so far were the rumors that Qrow had attacked a student and Tai's statement about what he saw.

By the time she returned to the dorm, she had searched as much of the school grounds as possible save the Emerald Forest, though she hoped he hadn't gone off on his own.

' _Please be somewhere safe.'_ Summer hoped as she closed the dorm door.

"No luck?" Tai asked, causing Summer to jump.

"N-no none yet." Summer stuttered before letting shoulder slump. "I've searched all over the place and still can't find him."

"He'll turn up Sum, don't worry." Tai replied, doing his best to reassure Summer. Though it didn't stop her from face planting onto her bed and groaning.

The White cloaked girl stayed like that for a good ten minutes before the dorms door creaked open and Summer nearly flew towards it. She knew it could only be one of the Branwens entering, and either one would her immensely.

"Raven!" Summer nearly shouted as she stopped just in front of the other female in STRQ. "Do you know where Qrow would go if he needed somewhere to be alone for a while?"

"If you want to find my brother, then you're best chance is up." Raven replied without missing a beat. Though all she got back was a head turn in confusion. "He likes being up high with a clear view of the sky."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Summer replied before bolting out the door with a new goal.

* * *

The broken moon was halfway across the sky by the time Summer had found Qrow. True to Ravens word, she found her partner on the roof of the classrooms, laying on the roof and staring at the stars.

"There you are!" Summer called out, disturbing the peaceful silence of the night. "I've been looking for you all day."

"Needed somewhere people wouldn't bother me." Qrow replied, not taking his eyes off the sky above.

"Yeah well, too bad. I'm not going to leave my partner alone when something is obviously bugging him." Summer smiled, sitting down cross legged next to her partner.

"So what happened?"

"Exactly as the rumors say." Qrow shrugged, sounding more interested than normal.

"The rumours also say that Glynda is cheating on Ironwood with Ozpin, so we know how much truth those hold." Summer replied, rolling her eyes as she laid down next to Qrow. "Talk to Qrow, please?"

Qrow sighed and closed his eyes, internally debating if there was a point to telling Summer about what really set him off. Eventually he gave in and opened his eyes.

"A name follows you everywhere Sum, even here." Summer noticed that Qrow's body seemed more tense than normal, and that days something when talking about someone who is ready to jump into a battle at a moment's notice.

A name?" Summer tilted her head in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I'm a Branwen." Qrow answered though Summer didn't fully understand his meaning."The Branwen tribe is known as a group of murderers and thieves and today I proved I'm no better."

"Well the Qrow I know wouldn't do something without a good reason." Summer replied. "So tell me what really happened."

"I snapped and tried to crush a guy's throat." Qrow answered, his eyes never leaving the sky.

"You're a terrible liar Qrow." Summer replied, staring at the side of her partner's head.

"That is the truth." Qrow sighed as he rubbed his temple.

Summer knew what he was trying to do, after all, she had put up with him now for six months. "But not all of it."

"That doesn't make it a lie Sum." Qrow retorted as Summer just groaned.

"Stop trying to change the subject and just tell me what happened." Summer said using her leader voice, something Qrow had learned not to mess around with.

"Like I said, I tried to crush the idiots throat but he did deserve it." When Qrow didn't continue, Summer nudged him. "The idiot thought it was a great idea to pick a fight with me in the gym. I was in a bad enough mood as it was and then he decided to shove me when I didn't respond to his taunts. From their he tried to piss me off with the usual crap and I replied with the usual smartass comments. Then he mentioned you."

"What did he say?" Summer asked, keeping an eye on Qrow as the tension she noticed when she arrived disappear.

"He said that the only reason you were my partner was because I had threatened you with some pretty bad shit." Summer didn't ask what exactly and Qrow was thankful of that. "Then he said if you couldn't deal with scum like me you probably deserved it, and I threatened to show him just how murderous a Branwen could be."

"Then I was right." Summer smiled, turning her head to face Qrow. "You did it because of a good reason, defending a friend."

"Doesn't change that I acted no better than the rest of the Branwen's." Qrow replied as something finally clicked for Summer.

Qrow had referred to his last name twice since she had found him, the first time didn't seem too out of place but the second made Summer realise that as much as Qrow pretends he doesn't cause about his family's actions, deep down he hated being compared to them.

"Do you believe that a name defines who a person is?" Summer asked, watching Qrow's face for a reaction.

Qrow contemplated the question for a few minutes before finally answering. "No, but it will follow you everywhere."

"You're right, you may not be able to run from your name, but you can show people you're better than those who tainted it." Sumer replied, watching as Qrow seemed to accept the answer.

"You are way to wise for your age Sum." Qrow smiled, finally turning his head to face his partner.

"I'll take that as a compliment." Summer beamed before hopping up. "Now come on, as much as you may like staring at the sky, I'm really tired from chasing after you all evening."

"Yeah, yeah." Qrow replied as he stood up himself.

"Oh and you owe me cookies tomorrow for missing out tonight while I looked for you." Qrow just laughed.

"I'll get you an extra plate tomorrow." Qrow replied as he watched his partner dance on the spot like a dork.

* * *

 **I tried so hard to find a way to fit in Summer making a joke about Qrow saying how murderous he could me but it just wouldn't fit. (Murder of Crows… his name is Qrow… get it?)**

 **So yeah this was a dumb idea that came from Weiss' and Qrow's talk in A Ladybugs Life about a name always following you.**

 **As always, if you enjoyed, hated, have constructive criticism or any questions, please let me know so I can make this story and any future stories I write better.**

 **Thanks for reading and have an awesome day.**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing, all rights reserved by Rooster Teeth and Monty Oum. (R.I.P)**


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